Oscar Peterson – Piano
Marion McPartland - Piano

Marian McPartland was born in the UK as Marian Turner, she was married to American Dixie trumpet player the late Jimmy McPartland. Although she spent many years playing in his band, Marian is much more than a pianist in a Dixie band. She is a very accomplished pianist in her own right and her many solo and trio albums testify to this. This recording comes from the very long running US NPR radio series Piano Jazz Hour. This particular broadcast was recorded on the 6^th. of February 1980 and the guest was probably the finest jazz pianist the world has ever known, Oscar Peterson.

Oscar has such a fantastic technical ability, that to anyone but the expert listener, his unbelievable musical and improvisational ability can be lost. Never underestimate Oscar Peterson, I have never failed to be totally absorbed when listening to him either live or on records. He has absorbed everything that went before in jazz and added to it a style of playing which is uniquely his.

This session is fascinating, Marion McPartland is a very accomplished pianist herself and she is therefore in position, to conduct a most interesting interview with the great man and play some very worthwhile and enjoyable duets with him ‘Like Someone in Love’, ‘Falling In Love with Love’ and ‘Cotton Tail’. Oscar Peterson’s performances are awesome and he is a charming, witty and extremely articulate interviewee. Marion sounds a little nervous at times but who wouldn’t be in this company? Her own solo on her original composition Willow Creek shows that she is a more than competent jazz pianist herself is.

This is absolutely fascinating stuff, don’t miss this one, it is a must for the serious jazz collector. My congratulations to The Jazz Alliance for releasing it, I note that there are three other albums in the series featuring, Bill Evans, Chick Corea and Carmen McRae, may there be many more in future.

Don Mather